With the United States poised to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods this week, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says he and fellow members of council are working on a plan to ensure that city officials “prioritize Canadian products and services over American products.”
After announcing the plan on social media Sunday, Sutcliffe told OBJ on Monday he’s working with councillors on a motion that will be presented to the finance committee on Tuesday calling on the city to look for Canadian-made alternatives to U.S. products.
The move comes in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement last Friday that the U.S. would apply 25 per cent tariffs to Canadian goods starting Tuesday, with a lower 10 per cent duty on energy.
OBJ360 (Sponsored)

New development in Kanata by Lepine connects business and community
Les Boutiques at Carré Saint Louis is bringing exciting retail opportunities to the heart of Ottawa’s west end. Developed by Lépine and exclusively leased by Campanale, this mixed-use development in

Leading by Example: Ottawa Community Housing’s Decarbonization Roadmap for Existing Buildings
Ottawa has long been a hub of innovation, and now that spirit is focused on retrofitting buildings for a greener future. Imagine comfortable homes that are both affordable and kind
Canada has $30 billion worth of retaliatory tariffs on American products set to take effect the same day and will boost the package to $125 billion in 21 days if the U.S. doesn’t back off.
While Trump agreed Monday to hold off on imposing tariffs on Mexico for a month, Sutcliffe said he’s not holding his breath that Canada will get a similar reprieve.
“Either way, I think we need to be ready for anything as a community,” he said. “There’s no question that this represents a threat to the Canadian economy and a threat to the local economy. So we need to do everything we can as a city and as Team Ottawa to pull together and make sure we’re supporting local business and protecting and sustaining the local economy.”
The mayor said Ottawa will not be immune from the impacts of tariffs.
“We might not feel it as much as a border town or a manufacturing town, but we’re going to feel it,” he said. “Any time the Canadian economy is contracting, the pain is felt everywhere. There’s a lot of anxiety and uncertainty in the business community, and we need to do everything we can to address that.”
Sutcliffe said Tuesday’s motion to the finance committee will direct staff to review the city’s procurement practices and make sure that “wherever possible we’re buying Canadian. And if there are products and services we’re buying from the United States and there’s a Canadian alternative, we’ll look at that.”
Sutcliffe said he didn’t know how much the city currently spends on U.S.-made goods and services. City staff will be asked to find out as part of the new directive.
“We need to gather that data, and then have staff report back on where we stand and what some of the options are,” Sutcliffe said.
The mayor also said he plans to bring together the leaders of Ottawa’s major business and economic development organizations, including the Ottawa Board of Trade and Invest Ottawa, to “identify any challenges and see if there are any solutions” to help local businesses that are affected by the tariffs.
“We just want to understand where things are and how our economy will be impacted, which sectors of our economy will feel the greatest impact and how we respond to that.”
Sutcliffe said he spoke briefly with Gatineau Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette on Sunday and plans to have a more in-depth chat with her later this week to discuss how the two cities can work together on initiatives such urging other levels of government to remove interprovincial trade barriers.
“This is one economic region, even if there is a provincial border in the middle of it,” he said. “We need to work together in the interests of the entire region. There’s already been a lot of discussion around interprovincial trade barriers.
“Maybe this is a time for us to take a look at those as a country and remove them or reduce them. Ottawa in particular, being right next to the provincial border, maybe there are some opportunities there, that if those barriers are removed, our businesses in this area, both Gatineau and Ottawa, can see some benefit from that.”
Meanwhile, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Big City Mayors Caucus is meeting in Ottawa later this week. Sutcliffe said he and the caucus chair, London, Ont., Mayor Josh Morgan, are putting together a motion calling on member governments to buy Canadian where possible and encourage other levels of government to promote business-friendly policies.
Meanwhile, the Ottawa Board of Trade said Monday it will work with business leaders across the city and the rest of Canada to promote policies and programs “that reduce barriers and create growth opportunities” for domestic businesses.
“The Trump tariffs are unreasonable and will significantly increase costs, disrupting deeply integrated supply chains that cannot be unwound without severe economic damage to both nations,” Ottawa Board of Trade president and CEO Sueling Ching said in a statement.
“These developments will have far-reaching consequences for businesses and families on both sides of the border, and we are committed to mitigating their impact.”
Ching called on Ottawa residents and businesses to “support local and Canadian products and services whenever possible.”
In a message to OBOT members Monday morning, Ching said her organization is working with other business groups such as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to push for measures to strengthen the Canadian economy, including the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers, funding for trade accelerator programs and investments in innovative and trade-enabling infrastructure.
“Today, we face new hurdles, including trade tensions related to the Trump tariffs and shifts in the federal government,” Ching wrote. “These challenges, however, also open doors for innovation and economic diversification.”
Sutcliffe said it’s time for governments and business groups to band together to help Canadian industries emerge stronger from the tariff storm.
“These are moments when everybody is mobilized to find solutions. This is obviously a crisis, but the silver lining in moments like this is you can get action quickly on good solutions that will actually strengthen the economy in the long term.”